Magnet-wire retriever



H. C. ROBINSON.

MAGNET WIRE RETRIEVER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 12, 1919.

1,360,686. Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

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BY 96o.

ATTOR N PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY C. ROBINSON, OF COATESVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

MAGNET-WIRE RETRIEVER.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

Application filed December 12, 1919. Serial No. 344,358.

I 0 all whom it may concern. 7 Be it known that I, HARRY C. ROBINSON, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Coatesville, in the county of Chester and Stateof Pennsylvania,whose post-oflice address is Coatesville, Pennsyl 'vania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Magnetire Retrievers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a fullyclear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. My invention relates to an apparatus-for retrieving magnet wires or magnet wire cables in connection with lifting magnets of any of the well'known types used with cranes, or other hoisting apparatus. a

I prefer to provide the lifting magnet with two separate cables, one for the positive and the other for the ne ative current,

and as the magnet'is lowered to pickup its load, which may be composed of any mag netic material, particularly steel or iron ln any shapes or forms, the magnet wire cables are paid out automatically from my appa ratus. During the travel of the crane or trolley thereof, it frequently occurs that the magnet wires become fouled with the side stakes or other projecting portions of the railroad car or with the projecting ends of a pile or piece of steel or iron in any form or other obstruction. in such a way that as the trolley or crane is traversed or the magnet lifted, either one or both of the magnet 7 wires might be pulled in such a way as to break and destroy them and it is the purpose of my invention to obviate this trouble and provide means whereby said wires may be paid out without any danger of their breakage or loss of working time of the apparatus, i

Although I have shown and described my magnet wire retriever in connection with two cables, namely, a positive and a negative -one, as before stated, I preferto have them separate of spaced apart for the reason that when wires or cables of difi'erent polarities are so arranged ,apart from each other there is no danger of short circuiting and consequent burning of the wires as is the case when o'ne'cable is used, but at'the same time my apparatus is equally appli cable for use in connection with one magnet wire cable contalning two wires or cables of different polarltles;

In order to accomplish my purpose I provide an apparatus consisting of a spool or a pair 'of spools which are frictionally driven in one direction and which run at such speed that the magnet cables will be rate as the lifting cables are coiled on their drums so that the magnet cables and the hoisting cables travel at about the same speed so as to prevent either tension or slack in the magnet cables. By reason of the frictional drive of my spools, the magnet cables can pay themselves off autoand a spring can only have a limited amount of rotation on account of the limitations of size of the spring itself due to the space permitted, whereas my apparatus can be provided with any amount of magnetic wire cable so that the same can be pulled out a hundred feet or more without becoming taut, thus allowing the operator much more latitude than with the other forms in which the magnet cable inust'necessarily be short. My retriever 18 also better than motor opera ted retrievers for the reason that such apparatus requires two more trolley wires and my retriever is simpler and more convenient to install and by reason of its construction requires practically no care or attention whatsoever. My retriever, as compared with gear operated retrievers, has the ad vantages that the magnet wire cables can be paid out if they should be caught on any obstructionsduring the traverse of the trolley or crane, whereas with the gear operated retrievers the drums are geared to the other mechanism in such a way that should the cables be caught when traversing they would be immediately broken.

Having thus given a general description of the invention, I will now in order to make the matter more clear, refer to the'annexed sheet of drawings forming part of this Specification and in which like characters refer to like parts:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved retriever; Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof; Fig.- 3 is a transverse sectional View 'coiled upon said spools at about the same ence on the drawings :1 is a shaft upon' whlch my drum orspool or a-pair of the same and friction members are mounted, 2

are the supports or bearings for the shaft 7 rings 25 and 26 arethe pole-p1eees27- wh ch 1, 3 is a portion of the framework of the crane construction which carries a winding drum aii for the lifting mechanism and the bearingstO for the jack shaft, etc. 4 are vcollars on the shaft 1 adjacent tothe bearings 2 ,to prevent endwise movement ofathe shaft, 5 and 6 are the drums or spools. of my retriever which, as illustrated, are-made of wood, but I. wish it understood that they m y he ma ssf metal or he ta e -,t,erial;,and provided withinsulation, if necessary, in order not to short+circuit the cables in case the insulation. thereof should besms-i o nz- 'Ihs d ums spo l an 16 areprovidedwith hubportions 7 which are Pr e a y term d s mstal fs m b arings sai drums or spoolson the shaft l 8' is a collar on theshaftl-between the drums and ;6 to space them apart, 9 and 10 are friction disks provided on the exteriorsfof the drums 5 and 6, ll and-12 are separate c ion disk mo nt on th ha t, a lus r ted, an a ap ed to cont c i h h friction disks 9-and 10 aforesaid, and the fr tion Z'mQI bB- 13 and let. h e hi t o n di k may h c poss -0 ea he fiber, meta-lor any suitable material; 13 and 1a jare flanged friction members-which are m ur tsdo-nthe shaf 1, as s ow d 11mveiltsd from rotation thereon by means of splines 15 so that they may have longitudial m -smsn n a d s atto a sl ght xte t. I Each of the friction members above mentioned is provided with a spring 16 dapted o the is i n r t nal's n th 4,5

the adjacent friction members, this spring beingcompressed and-held to its wo k by means of the collars 17 and 18 which are s urscl on th ha 1 y means of se screws, as illustrated,.or otherwise, Adjassn s the ssl a s is Pa r of ram m mbers 1 wh chv are nne ed tsgs hs by means-of: the melnber 20 which is shown of woodbut may be of metal provided with insul tion Whe e nec ssary Th beam o member 20 is provided with thimbles 21 and 22 in which arelmounted the brushes or Con act m mbe a df s o t e, t i ls 30 i d .31, t which erm na are c nn t d t a es which supply h p iti e n negaive curr nts o elect y foi 't s p a i n (within-mag et 25 and 26' re a nula m tal rings mounted on the flanges of the drums andw c are a apted t act w the'hrush 23 as bo h wh nwthe d um are stationaryw and when. t ey are-rotat ng against the annular collecting rings 25 and a 26 both for the purpose of supplying current thereto and to act as brakes or retarders to prevent unnecessary rotation of the drums. Connected with the annular are provided with terminals28 and 29, in which terminals the ends-of the magnet wires are inserted and electrically connected for the purpose of. receiving current from the main supply terminals 30and 313through the vbrushes 23' and 24, toian d through the annular rings 25 and 26, thence to the pole pieces 27 and to thie terminals 28 and 29. A ratchet pulley 33 is mounted on the;shaft 1 provided with a hub 3a and with, a mechanically operated pawl a 35 which. is adapted to drive the pulley in one dirgectionby the ratchet-teeth 36, butincase ofreversalof the rotation of the jack shaft ,39, the pulley 33, ugh Y dr ven in, e re er Idi sotion, wo ildth-rn idly onlthe shaftllbecause of the ratchet and pawl; construction asshown in ig- 3- The pull y is also pr vided with the collars 87 0,11 Githfll' Side of the hub 34:, as. illustrated. This pulley 1331s driven by a belt 38 fromthe jack shaft 39 and the diameter of said pulley is so: proportioned that the magnet. :wires 47 an dfiwill he reeled upon the drums 5, and 6 by the' fric ton drive a tu stan y the ams' speed as theliftingcable atet of the magnet m). The jack shaft is provided with. journal bearings 40, and a driving pinion 41, which is :driven from,any suitablesourceof power.

-he main lifting-win ihg-drm 1 is provided with a gear 42 for the purpose of ro-. tating it, as customary. Thelifting cables which are shown as wire cables arelt, the lifting pulley is 45; which is provided with j a lifting hook as illustrated, The lifting magnet 49 is providedwith lifting chains .46 whereby it is mounted on the lifting hook, as illustrated. I 47 andS are: the magnet wires or cables of di-fierent polarity, which supply cur-rent to th elifting magnet 49. 50 is a member shown as an angle but it-may be of any form -,desi-rec;l, whereby the frame composed: ofithe members 19 and 20 is ecur to he ame iths cr ne so at these parts will not rotate, thereby holding 12o on the shaft 1, thus allowing-the shaft lto rotate in the desired direction.

Although I have shown my apparatus in connection with the magnet wires of a crane, I wish it understood that it may be used for any apparatus whatsoeverv requiring the reeling or unreeling of cables, ropes, chains or any other constructions.

Assuming the position of the parts tobe as indicated in Fig. 1, the operation of my apparatus is as follows :In order to lower the magnet 49, the winding drum43 is rotated in the required direction, whereupon the weight of the magnet produces a slight tension in the cables 47 and 48 and these cables are paid off the drums 5 and 6', as these drums are rotated by the slight pull of the cables 47 and 48 against the frictional resistance of the friction disks 9 and 10 the other friction disks 11 and 12 and the friction members 13 and 1-1 which are held in frictional contact by means of the springs 16. Meanwhile the pulley 33 will rotate because of its driving connection to the rotating ack-shaft 39, but this will not interfere with unreeling the magnet cables 47 and 48 for the shaft 1 will turn idly in the pulley because of the mechanical pawl 35 and ratchet 36 construction, as shown in Fig. 3. When the magnet is lifted, the rotation of the winding drum is reversed and it now lifts the magnet, whereupon the pulley 33 is rotated from the jack shaft and the drums 5 and 6 are rotated by reason of the frictional driving contacts of the disks 9, 10, 11 and 12, and the frictional members 18 and 14:. If now or if at any other time. one of the wire magnet cables such as 48 should be caught upon an obstruction while the crane or trolley is traversed, this wire would be paid out to any extent, the drum '6 being held only slightly by the frictional contacts, as above described, thus causing L the wire to be unreeled from the drum and this would throw a bight or openloop into the wire. As the lifting magnet continues to rise, this loop or bight in the wire would remain until the lifting was completed, but when the magnet is again lowered the drum 6 would not be rotated and the slack in the magnet wire would be taken up until it became sufliciently taut, whereupon the various portions of the apparatus would be in their normal operative positions.

Although I have shown the position of the members 19 and 20 as hanging downwardly from the shaft 1, I wish it understood that they may be located in any position, and in some cases I have made these members substantially horizontal instead of vertical.

Although I have described and illustrated my invention in considerable detail, I do not wish to be limited to the exact and specific details thereof, as shown and described,

but may use such modifications in, substitutions for..or equivalents thereof, as are embraced'within' the scope of my invention, or as pointed out in the claims. 7 Havingthus desc ibed my invention, what- I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent is:

1. A cable retriever comprising an insulated spool, a current collecting ring electri- 7 (rally connected with the end of a cable, a

continuously engaged spring pressed collar adapted to rotate said spool in one direction and also-to automatically allow rotation of the spool in the reverse direction, means for supplying current to said ring, terminal brushes contacting with said ring, and means for adjusting the pressure of said brushes against the ring.

2. A magnet wire retriever comprising a spool rotatably mounted on a shaft, a continuously engaged spring pressed collar mounted on said shaft and adapted to drive said spool by frictional contact, means for rotating said shaft in one direction, a metal collecting ring mounted on said spool and connected with a magnet wire terminal, and means for supplying current to said ring.

3. A magnet wire retriever comprising a spool mounted on a shaft, a continuously engaged spring pressed collar mounted on said shaft and adapted to drive said spool by frictional contact, means for rotating said shaft in one direction, a metal collecting ring mounted on said spool and connected with a magnet wire terminal, a terminal brush, and means for adjusting the same in contact with said ring.

el. A magnet wire retriever comprising a pair of spools rotatably mounted on a shaft, a pair of continuously engaged spring pressed collars mounted on said shaft and adapted to frictionally engage said spools, and means for rotating the shaft in one direction.

A magnet wire retriever comprising a pair of spools rotatably mounted on a shaft, a pair of continuously engaged spring pressed collars mounted on said shaft and adapted to frictionally engage said spools, means for rotating the shaft in one direction, and ametal collecting ring mounted on said shaft and connected with a magnet wire terminal.

6. A magnet wire retriever comprising a pair of spools rotatably mounted on a shaft, a pair of continuously engaged spring pressed collars mounted on said shaft adapted to rotatively hold said spools to said shaft in one direction and also to allow said spools to automatically rotate on said shaft in the reverse direction when desired, means for rotating said shaft in one direction, a metal collecting ring mounted on said shaft and connected with a magnet wire terminal,

terminal brushes contacting with said ring and means for adjusting the pressure against the same. V

i 7. A magnet Wire retriever comprising a pair of insulatedispools rotatably mounted on a shaft, means for rotating said shaft in one direction, continuously. engaged spring pressed collars mounted on said shaft and 7 adapted to drive said spools in one direction 7 and also o allow them to be rotated in the opposite direction when desired, an annular collecting ring on each spool with terminals connected therewlth, magnet; Wire cables mounted on saidgspools and connected to the terminals aforesald, a framework mounted on-said shaft and secured to the stationary portion of the apparatus, brushes mounted on said framework and provided with pressure-springs adaptedto contact-said brushes with the annular rings aforesaid and means for supplying current to the brushes.

In witness whereof I hereunto afiix my signature HARRY C. ROBINSON. 

